Page 49 of The Succubus's Song

Whenever he mentioned her, they snarled and often were too angry to think critically. They struck him quickly, but not deeply.

Finley held his breath and waited for another searing cut when there was a loud commotion that disturbed the entire great hall.

“What’s that?” Katerina hissed, snapping her fingers and ordering one of the sisters to go open the door. It sounded like someone was taking a battering ram to the front doors of the manor. The walls were shaking, and Finley saw some dust falling from the ceiling.

Please, please for the love of all things that are holy…be Mara. Finley dared to hope, closing his eyes as another wave of fatigue washed over him, and he filled his mind with images of Mara to self-soothe.

The doors to the manor swung open with a massive creak, slamming against the interior walls of the great hall. Finley was momentarily blinded by the sunlight outside, but when his eyes adjusted, he nearly shouted in victory.

Calum and Emmett rode into the atrium on horseback, dressed from head to toe in some of the finest regalia Finley had ever seen.

The horses were magnificent fae beasts, taller than any horses Finley had ever seen. Calum was sitting atop a white charger, a golden circlet gleaming from his brow. He wore a fine kilt, two swords hanging from his waist, and a complimentary sash across his chest. Calum’s horse stomped its feet and snorted, and Calum made a big show of parading the beast around the hall.

Emmett looked just as fearsome—if not more so. While Calum struck a regal figure, Emmett was downright terrifying atop a black warhorse. He wore a matching kilt but was shirtless, except for the massive battle ax slung across his back. There was a mace hanging from his waist, and his chest was painted in woad.

Where are Pippa and Mara? Where is Fern?! Finley was relieved to see his friends but found himself desperately searching beyond the open doors for Mara.

“Katerina!” Calum’s voice boomed as he urged his horse forward. “You’ll unhand Finley McEwan and return him to me.”

“Oh!” Katerina cackled, walking down the short steps of the dais to stand in front of Calum’s horse. She sneered at the beast, and it reared up in fear, kicking its hooves towards Katerina.

God damn, even the horses recognize a predator when they see one. Finley’s confidence was starting to ebb away.

Calum never budged from the horse’s back, and Finley recognized the feeling of Calum’s magic. The horse’s calm demeanor returned, and Calum scowled at Katerina.

“You will never be allowed to return to the mortal world, and you know this. You cause enough harm in Faerie, even though it is possible for you to sustain yourselves in other ways.”

“It is not,” Katerina hissed, pointing a long talon at Calum. “What you are speaking of is blasphemous.”

“To what?” Calum scoffed. “Your archaic way of life? You’ve created nothing but a den of murderesses.”

Katerina threw her head back and laughed, the chainmail rattling as her body shook. When she finally stopped, she was smiling as she stared Calum down.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Katerina smiled wider, revealing her fangs.

Please be careful, Finley pleaded. You don’t know what they’re capable of.

“Silence!” Emmett’s thick brogue shook the hall. “You’ll listen to your prince, Katerina.”

“Oh! The dog speaks,” Katerina spat, forcing her way through the small crowd of her daughters as she snarled up at Emmett. “Do you want to go tooth for tooth and see what happens?”

Emmett’s growl echoed off the stone, and for the first time, Finley saw Katerina’s confidence falter. It was only for a brief second, but it was there.

“It seems that we are at an impasse,” Katerina hissed, “because I don’t plan on giving up Finley to you unless we get what we want.”

“Never,” Calum was resolute, “and your way of life in Faerie is going to change too.”

“Like hell it is,” Katerina snarled, advancing on Calum again. “You and what army? I only see the two of you.”

For a moment, Finley was terrified that Katerina was going to launch herself at Calum and destroy him in one fell swoop. A soft breeze suddenly danced across Finley’s cheek, and he was overwhelmed with Mara’s sweet scent.

Oh my god. Finley fought to keep his face stoic as he realized that Mara was already in the building. And Katerina is too distracted to even notice.

“You know,” Katerina moved closer still to Calum, poised to strike, “I was going to fight you until we had rights to cross the veil, but I’m starting to think that eliminating you entirely will solve my problem.”

“Calum!” Finley couldn’t help but scream in warning. All the eyes in the hall flickered towards him. One instant, Katerina was advancing on Calum, but Finley blinked, and she was on the floor.

Katerina had been knocked to the floor, her cheek bleeding where three scratch marks now stood out against her otherwise white skin. She hissed and jumped to her feet, but a flurry of red magic materialized behind Katerina—a blade appeared out of thin air, pressed to her throat.

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